"I wasn't handling things as well as I could have" - Kyle Jamieson admits his performance dipped after getting bumper IPL contract
Kyle Jamieson has suggested that getting a bumper IPL contract in February affected his performance in the subsequent T20I series against Australia. The New Zealand all-rounder was bought for a whopping ₹15 crore by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the IPL 2021 Auction.
Kyle Jamieson had a torrid outing with the ball in the five-match T20I series against the Aussies, conceding 175 runs in 15 overs at an economy of 11.67. He was able to pick up just one wicket in the four games that he played.
The lanky pacer acknowledged that he didn't handle the situation well after getting a mega IPL contract.
"That price tag brings with it expectations. At first, I didn't think much of it but as people will have seen in the Australia series immediately after the auction, things didn't unfold (as I would have wanted) and that was down to the magnitude of the situation. I wasn't handling things as well as I could have. There is no textbook or manual to deal with that sort of thing. It certainly took me a while to process it all," Jamieson was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
Nevertheless, the bowler bounced back and had a decent outing for the RCB in the now-postponed IPL 2021. He picked up nine wickets in seven games, while bowling at an economy of 9.2.
"I don’t look at success as numbers" - Kyle Jamieson
Kyle Jamieson has undoubtedly played a huge role in the Test circuit for New Zealand in recent times, helping them reach the inaugural World Test Championship final. The 26-year-old, however, believes success shouldn't be measured in pure numbers.
"I don’t look at success as numbers. I look at it as contributing to the team. Whether that means four or five wickets, or none but building pressure at the other end, either is fine by me," Jamieson added.
The Kiwis are set to take on England in a two-match Test series next month, with the first game scheduled to be played at Lord's. Kyle Jamieson will be keen to make an impact ahead of the all-important WTC final against India later in June.